Please Scroll Down to See Forums Below I was just wondering what you people think. Is there anything wrong with being obsessed with bodybuilding? I mean to the point where you ditch your friends because you have to eat and your whole life revolves around training. I feel like there's something wrong with me and I need to focus on something more socially acceptable, like finance or something. My true career goal is to become a professional bodybuilder. Or atleast one of the high ranking NPC guys who gets endorsements and what not so that they, in essence, get paid to lift weights. Really, is it bad to let the love of muscle control your life?
Is there anything wrong with being obsessed with bodybuilding?
- Thread starter Grizzly
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DanielBishop
New member
I'd rather not wake up one day when I'm 75 and realise that my whole life was spent in the gym, in bed or eating....
.... and you've sacrificed friends, love, travel, experiences and memories and everything else that life should be about, just so you could be 10lbs bigger.
The biggest guys I've ever seen weren't ever OBSESSED.
.... and you've sacrificed friends, love, travel, experiences and memories and everything else that life should be about, just so you could be 10lbs bigger.
The biggest guys I've ever seen weren't ever OBSESSED.
DanielBishop said:
Number 1: Shall we read this months article about King Kamli in M&F? Hmmmm.... Let's see he is quoted as saying that he spent seven years of his life doing nothing but bodybuilding to the exclusion of most everything else. I doubt you've ever seen anyone bigger than King Kamali.
Secondly, I haven't sacrificed anything. Well, anything other than being a useless, beer belly having party boy. I go out, don't get me wrong, but I do so with both moderation and planning. I won't leave the house until around 9 so that way I can have gotten in most of my meals and all I have to do is bring out some chicken and rice with me. And love, I've had love. She actually helped with the bodybuilding since I didn't have to go out ever and I didn't drink nearly as much as I would if I were to have been looking for love.
As for "obsessed", fine it was a bad choice. How about dedicated? Or driven? Happy now?
I dunno, it's kind of a requirement. But I don't see any reason not to have friends and other interests. Hell, I do weird things with my schedule so I can eat, train and get my sleep, but I've also been known to make "training dates" with friends or to whip out a chicken breast at the movie theater. Most people will accept you with your eccentricities, and screw 'em if they don't, but if you don't have other things in your life, you'll end up killing yourself because your calves are too small or you'll go postal when you miss a big lift.
McBainXVII
New member
do a search on muscle dysmorphia eg
http://www.driesen.com/muscle_dysmorphia.htm
http://www.driesen.com/muscle_dysmorphia.htm
gymtime
New member
Scotsman said:
I agree. This is not a right or wrong thing. It's all about choices. You have to decide whether bodybuilding is fulfilling enough to preclude all else. If it is, then you're doing what's right for you. If it's not, if you feel like you're missing out on life in exchange for the search for the perfect body, then you have a decision to make.
well- i love the feeling of not just being in shape, but looking it too- people know just by looking you work out is worth it....you can kinda see the envy in their eyes.....if pulling a double am/pm split at the gym 3 times a week is obsessive, i falll into that category....
Moderation. It's possible to look incredible and not be consumed by the life. Certain aspects of the lifestyle; the clean eating, rarely (if ever) drinking, the dedication of 4 hours of every week to pushing myself to the absolute limit, the relentless desire for self-improvement...some of these things are healthy.
But there are other things in life. Almost anything taken to the levels of obsession requires the sacrifice of other things that may be important. Like someone else said, you don't want to look back and regret it.
But there are other things in life. Almost anything taken to the levels of obsession requires the sacrifice of other things that may be important. Like someone else said, you don't want to look back and regret it.
I don't see how the possibility of regret should come into play at all. Hell, haven't you done lots of things that you regret? You know, "boy why the hell did I ever date that girl?" or "why didn't I smoke pot all day instead of playing a sport in HS" or whatever. Every choice you make you may regret later, so why worry about if you'll regret it. The only way to avoid regrets is to never do anything and then you'll probably regret never doing anything.
Personally I think that you can think too much about what you MIGHT regret
I think you have to strike an even balance, my training comes first, alongside my job, everything else fits in below it, I pretty much work a total of 40 hours+ a week and workout during the evenings also preparing my meals for the next day, so its very rare I go out, I dont have time, I went out yesterday and ended up getting to sleep at 1am cuz I had to make all my food for today. I dont do this often.
It is extremely rare I drink alcohol now, Ive done all that and it got boring, I dont need alcohol to feel good about myself, training does this for me.
If I go out, which I do at the weekends, I'll take a low carb protein bar with me and just eat it in the toilets of the club or whatever, I'll do anything to avoid catabolism while I am out, but I still enjoy myself. If I am out all day I will make a huge MRP shake and sip on it all day long.
I still see my friends although I dont engage in the same way of life as them, I.e do nothing in the week but drink and eat shit and at the weekend go out clubbing and get wasted, I get alot of criticism for how strict I am with my life now, but I like it so thats all that matters really.
I think you have to strike an even balance, my training comes first, alongside my job, everything else fits in below it, I pretty much work a total of 40 hours+ a week and workout during the evenings also preparing my meals for the next day, so its very rare I go out, I dont have time, I went out yesterday and ended up getting to sleep at 1am cuz I had to make all my food for today. I dont do this often.
It is extremely rare I drink alcohol now, Ive done all that and it got boring, I dont need alcohol to feel good about myself, training does this for me.
If I go out, which I do at the weekends, I'll take a low carb protein bar with me and just eat it in the toilets of the club or whatever, I'll do anything to avoid catabolism while I am out, but I still enjoy myself. If I am out all day I will make a huge MRP shake and sip on it all day long.
I still see my friends although I dont engage in the same way of life as them, I.e do nothing in the week but drink and eat shit and at the weekend go out clubbing and get wasted, I get alot of criticism for how strict I am with my life now, but I like it so thats all that matters really.
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Jvesti1234
New member
I don't think there is anything wrong with what you are doing. I actually commend you on it. Life should not be an empty thing just shooting the shit. You should have a goal in your life, a grand plan. And what you are doing is the way to go. I know quite a few people that sacrificed social, dating, and other sacrifices to get where they are. And now they are enjoying it tenfold. Look at all the athletes, musicians and how there sacrifices payed off,(michael Jordan used to only practice day in and out without doing anything else, so didn't larry bird, Mike Piazza, and so on. Look at all those musicians who sacrificed a whole lot to get the pay off in the end. King Kamali is a good rolemodel of what can be accomplished through sacrifice and the values that brought him to olympia status. The goal, they set a goal in life.
I don't know about you but I'd be much more happy looking back on my life knowing that i ranked in an olympia or came out with a hit song and was famous, or have become a multi-millionaire then looking back seeing that i made sure i drank and parties everyday too busy to accomplish anything in life having left not a slight mark on humanity besides being another average joe. but that's just me
I don't know about you but I'd be much more happy looking back on my life knowing that i ranked in an olympia or came out with a hit song and was famous, or have become a multi-millionaire then looking back seeing that i made sure i drank and parties everyday too busy to accomplish anything in life having left not a slight mark on humanity besides being another average joe. but that's just me
lmao - you guys take this way too seriously.
if you eat a reasonably large meal before you go out then you don;t need to take protein with you.
the body takes about 8 hours to digest what's in your stomach so even if you're out between 7pm and 2am you got plenty of time.
you guys need to relax.
if you eat a reasonably large meal before you go out then you don;t need to take protein with you.
the body takes about 8 hours to digest what's in your stomach so even if you're out between 7pm and 2am you got plenty of time.
you guys need to relax.
DanielBishop
New member
Well, Ronnie Coleman was a police officer with a girlfriend who went to church.... and he's won 3 Mr O's on the trot.... bodybuilding hasn't ever been the ONLY thing in his life.
If you go out, do other things.... then fine. There's nothing wrong with it. Why did you even ask the question then? I personally wouldn't say you're obsessed....
.... then again, I guess it depends on your definition of obsession.
If you go out, do other things.... then fine. There's nothing wrong with it. Why did you even ask the question then? I personally wouldn't say you're obsessed....
.... then again, I guess it depends on your definition of obsession.
Robboe said:
Unless everything I've read is wrong, your body will have digested all of the food within about 3 hours. Hence, the need to eat every three hours. Besides, who can go 8 hours without eating anyway? If I'm not eating all day long I start to starve.
DanielBishop- Yeah, maybe obsessed isn't the proper word, yet maybe it is. All I know is that whenever I see a MUSCLEHEDZ cartoon, I think to myself "Wow, I've done that."
Cackerot69
New member
Grizzly said:
You need to stop reading supplement catalogs.
:hump:
...damn, ah well...
grizzly, you eat every 3 hour for a few reasons - the main being a constant supply of nutrients.
spacing meals out also lets your body use the nutrients more efficiently.
you also slightly elevate metabolism so your fat gain will not be as much as with say 3 meals [if you're eating the same amount of cals].
btw i agree with cackerot.
:hump: damn you!!...
...damn, ah well...
grizzly, you eat every 3 hour for a few reasons - the main being a constant supply of nutrients.
spacing meals out also lets your body use the nutrients more efficiently.
you also slightly elevate metabolism so your fat gain will not be as much as with say 3 meals [if you're eating the same amount of cals].
btw i agree with cackerot.
:hump: damn you!!...
BigDdaGanjalist
New member
Refering to the original post. . . this is my problem
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=63791&highlight=thin+line
If you sound like me then I would suggest to go talk to someone.
I love weight training and the natural high it gives you, seeing yourself progress and overcome problems etc. I eventually want to compete.
But I feel like Im missing out on things because of the schedule of having to eat at set times but i CAN"T stray no matter how hard I want to.
strong
http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=63791&highlight=thin+line
If you sound like me then I would suggest to go talk to someone.
I love weight training and the natural high it gives you, seeing yourself progress and overcome problems etc. I eventually want to compete.
But I feel like Im missing out on things because of the schedule of having to eat at set times but i CAN"T stray no matter how hard I want to.
strong
mikelong23
New member
ABSOLUTELY NOT
nikolai_bolkov
New member
I view gaining muscle like money, you've gotta use it. I am not a subscriber of gaining muscle just for the sake of gaining muscle. I want to look better and benefit in my other endevours in life. But then again, I am not shooting to become a pro, nor would I be able to, with my genetics.
Basically, I want to look better tomorrow than I did yesterday.
Basically, I want to look better tomorrow than I did yesterday.
DanielBishop said:
Well, the reason that I use that word is that even when I'm out I'm thinking about muscles. Every time I drink a beer I think of the adipose tissue collecting around my abs. I stand on the edge of stairs or bars and do calf raises. I evaluate the physique of everyone that I see. I carry chicken in my pocket and eat it in the middle of bars or theaters or wherever I am. To me, that's a certain amount of obsession.
Robboe said:
I know the point of eating all the time. And that's the reason that I say you need to eat more frequently than every 8 hours. Sure, your intestines may not have absorbed everything, but most of that is going towards waste production anyway. A serious bodybuilder needs to eat every 2-3 hours. And who the hell only eats 3 times a day. If you're one of those people you're certainly not a bodybuilder or a powerlifer or any sort of strength athlete.
Cackerot- I don't read supplement mags. I don't even take supplements, save for protein powder. I get these ideas from bodybuilding books and mags. Last time I checked, Arnold says to eat every 3 hours. So does Dorian. Wow, and look here, Ronnie says to eat every three hours, too. Hmmmmm, I wonder if these are guys who know what they're talking about. Nah, probably not, you can win the Olympia by accident and not know anything about nutrition and training. I mean, everyone knows that if you use steroids you're going to look like a Mr. Olympia no matter what you do.
Jvesti1234
New member
yeah so what
carrying chicken in your pocket and doing calf raises on stairs isn't normal. But your normal people are flabby, lazy, and unhealthy. Pistol Pete Maravich the basketball player used to carry a basketball to school with him and sleep with it that isn't normal but look at what he became. (You should get the pistol pete movie if you haven't seen it isn't good.) Normal is inferior to what your doing, don't be it. The ones that do similar behavior to you are the professional bb. You are driven and focused, you have done nothing to put yourself in grave harm. You have a hunger for your goal and that is awesome. but as for sizing up anyone elses physique? could it possibly be that you want to be the best. so what it is another harmless behavior. I'll admit that i do that or even check around to see what my competition is if there are girls around and see how can i make myself the best.
I too do similar things such as make sure i eat a meal before i go out or hit the gym on the weekends if i need to. I spend the weekdays studying, eating, going to the gym, and sleeping and limit my life to what i want it to be, i turn down social times like going to the movies or things such as that ain't nothing wrong with it. not what someone else wants it to be or not to what I FEEL like, that will get me nothing. so i can better myself instead i could be out having shooting the shit staying the same, and getting no were in life by not working on things in my life.
Now i don't know if people are saying things to you to make you make this post but if it's people giving you these ideas that is the exact reason why you have what it takes and they dont.
carrying chicken in your pocket and doing calf raises on stairs isn't normal. But your normal people are flabby, lazy, and unhealthy. Pistol Pete Maravich the basketball player used to carry a basketball to school with him and sleep with it that isn't normal but look at what he became. (You should get the pistol pete movie if you haven't seen it isn't good.) Normal is inferior to what your doing, don't be it. The ones that do similar behavior to you are the professional bb. You are driven and focused, you have done nothing to put yourself in grave harm. You have a hunger for your goal and that is awesome. but as for sizing up anyone elses physique? could it possibly be that you want to be the best. so what it is another harmless behavior. I'll admit that i do that or even check around to see what my competition is if there are girls around and see how can i make myself the best.
I too do similar things such as make sure i eat a meal before i go out or hit the gym on the weekends if i need to. I spend the weekdays studying, eating, going to the gym, and sleeping and limit my life to what i want it to be, i turn down social times like going to the movies or things such as that ain't nothing wrong with it. not what someone else wants it to be or not to what I FEEL like, that will get me nothing. so i can better myself instead i could be out having shooting the shit staying the same, and getting no were in life by not working on things in my life.
Now i don't know if people are saying things to you to make you make this post but if it's people giving you these ideas that is the exact reason why you have what it takes and they dont.
Grizzly said:
Coincidence does not equal causality. But keep this debate out of this thread. Arnold was no genius. Want to start the argument? Start a new topic. But let's keep this thread about people who don't understand moderation, shall we? Carry on.
(All said tounge in cheek)
MonStar1023
New member
There is DEFINITELY nothing wrong with it I have been obsessed with it for a while now I think.. I mean I really enjoy all the aspects of natural bodybuilding. When it comes to anabolics I really am not too interested though.
Belial said:
Coincidence does not equal causality. But keep this debate out of this thread. Arnold was no genius. Want to start the argument? Start a new topic. But let's keep this thread about people who don't understand moderation, shall we? Carry on.
(All said tounge in cheek)
All right, Belial, you asked for it. Of course, you can back up the arguments, particularly the one about coincidence and causality, but I'll give it to you anyway.
First, Arnold might not have been a mathematical genius, but when it comes to bodybuilding you can not argue with a 7 time Mr. Olympia. Ok, maybe you can argue, but one must admit that he obviosly knew something to completely dominate the '70s era bodybuilding.
Coinicidence might not equal causality, but empirical data beats out theory. Just as a nutritionist will tell you that you only need to eat .45 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight, all good bodybuilders know that you need to eat much, much, much more. Therefore, if Arnold, Dorian and Ronnie, not to mention the lesser pros, all eat every 2-3 hours it's because you have to to be that big and that freaky.
Most importantly, I'll start any fucking argument I want. Why? Because this is my thread. Therefore, I can do anything I want to in it. I can talk about pretty pink panties being better than standard issue granny panties if I so choose. So bite me!
Well, that was fun. Now, it's your turn.
It seems to me that if one will be able to successfully call themselves a bodybuilder, pro or amateur, or even recreational for that matter, obsession is mandatory. Not only will a bodybuilder be obsessed with training, but obsessed with correct diet, and proper sleep as well. Ya just can't be a bodybuilder without that type of dedication.
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